Do you really need a lawyer if you’re innocent? Absolutely! There’s a pervasive notion that only guilty people need lawyers, but the reality is that even innocent people can be wrongfully convicted if they don’t have legal representation. Know Your Constitutional Rights When dealing with law enforcement, it’s important to know your constitutional rights. The Fourth Amendment protects you against unreasonable searches and seizures without probable cause. This means you have the right to say no to a search of your car or home, even if a law enforcement officer asks to search it. Don’t Let Them ..read more

First of all: Never drink & drive Let’s be real — we all make mistakes. But drinking and driving should not be one of them. It’s a dangerous and risky decision, and it’s just not worth it. If you do find yourself in this situation, remember to stay calm and polite with the officers. Don’t argue or be combative, and keep in mind that everything is recorded, so your behavior will be under scrutiny. Be cooperative, not belligerent, and show them you’re taking this seriously. Don’t admit to anything Whatever you do, don’t admit to drinking or give any unnecessary information. Even if you only ..read more

Tenant, beware! Tenant, beware! Arkansas has the worst landlord-tenant laws of any state in the nation. Arkansas has no implied warranty of habitability. That means a landlord can rent a house that is not liveable! We are solely a “buyer-beware” state. Landlords can hide problems that are not discoverable until a tenant moves in—and then has no obligation to repair any issues that exist or arise during the occupancy of the premises. In the last two legislative sessions, tenants’ rights groups have worked without success to pass a habitability statute.  Can I withhold rent without being ..read more

Why we use an answering service Answering services can be frustrating, but they can actually be very helpful!! We understand that an answering service can be annoying, but it’s actually our best option to ensure timely and excellent communication—and it works 24/7, even through lunch breaks and vacation time. In 2021, we talked to over 2,200 callers about their legal issues. No one person—or team—can handle that volume of calls effectively. So, we deployed a system that allows us to communicate effectively with our clients. Our answering service allows potential clients to immediately set up ..read more

Our new partner: Danielle Hasty Meet our new partner—Danielle Hasty! We are proud to announce that Danielle Hasty is the firm’s newest partner. Danielle joined the practice in 2018 and it quickly became apparent her focus and determination are invaluable to Lion Legal’s civil litigation and transactional practice. Her commitment to real-time communication and transparency makes her the perfect Lion Lawyer. Danielle was promoted to manager of the firm’s Civil, Real Estate, Probate and Estate & Business Planning Divisions in 2020. She worked in banking prior ..read more

We are dedicated to the concept that how it FEELS is equally as important as the winning results we obtain for our clients. This is being client-oriented. Being client-oriented means being process-oriented, so we are consistent and always do what we say we will do. We make the process as smooth as possible to limit stress for our clients. Interview  First, you interview us in a complimentary phone interview with one of our Lawyers.  We discuss your legal matter, if it is the type of legal matter our office handles. If yes, and if it is a legal matter that is something that you shoul ..read more

What you SHOULD be doing Document everything.  No matter the type of case or if you think it’s “uncontested.”  Get a journal. Write down Dates, times, texts, emails, pictures, whatever happened, who said what and when.  Do not email your attorney and/or paralegal the facts, incidents, or journal until we ask for the information. You should bring it to your preparation appointment.  Your job as a client is to provide the facts and ammunition, the evidence, that our attorneys need to win your case.  Matters routinely take months to get to court. Your memory will fail you ..read more

 Why email? Email is our primary form of communication for several reasons: It is more efficient. We can respond to emails while waiting for court, but not take a phone call, for example. It allows us to respond faster and at times where a call would not be feasible – some of us are early, early birds and can email at 3am but not call you! Others of us are night owls and can email you at 11pm but not call you! Email allows clients to go back and re-read, refresh memory, study the advice, notes, or information that is provided. The written form protects us and you- verbal discussions can ..read more

Sometimes the first stage is the only stage In some types of cases, the first fee is ALL you will EVER pay to complete your matter. These are criminal defense, orders of protection, appeals, contract reviews, administrative agency matters, real estate transactions, estate and Medicaid Planning and Business Planning. When do we bill in stages? We bill in stages for certain types of cases because it is impossible to predict at the beginning precisely what services will be needed in the case. These are any family related matters such as guardianships, adoptions, divorce, custody, child support an ..read more

We estimate 60% of all cases settle in the First Stage of litigation.  When your case is at a standstill – negotiations have stalled, for whatever reason, and your 1st stage of litigation is complete, the next step is usually to engage in the formal discovery process. Formal Written Discovery Formal Written Discovery is written questions and requests for documents. It’s a time-consuming process, but necessary to gather the evidence we need for a final trial. This is where we ask questions and request documents from the other party, who must answer them under oath and with detail. Th ..read more